May Day 2025: LA Protests for International Workers Day
Southern california Sees Thousands Marching for May Day
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Thousands of union members and immigrant rights advocates marched through teh streets of Southern California on Thursday, commemorating International Workers’ Day, also known as May Day.
downtown Los Angeles Exhibition
A coalition of unions and other advocacy groups initiated the day with a demonstration at 9 a.m.in downtown Los Angeles, specifically at the intersection of Olympic Boulevard and Figueroa Street. Demonstrators planned to march east on Olympic Boulevard and then north on Los Angeles Street, heading toward the Metropolitan Detention Center.
The march aimed to express solidarity with immigrant communities and to protest policies affecting immigrants and the working class.
Pedro Trujillo,a lead organizer with the May Day Coalition of los Angeles,estimated the crowd size. “We haven’t seen numbers like this in a long time. We anticipate between 4,000 and 5,000 people will join together and take to the streets of Los Angeles,” Trujillo said.
A separate march and demonstration was scheduled for later in the day in Boyle Heights.
Following County worker Strike
These May Day marches occurred two days after a large protest in downtown Los Angeles by thousands of Los Angeles County workers represented by SEIU Local 721. That strike began Monday night and concluded Wednesday night.
Shannon Camacho, a senior official involved with inclusive action policies for the city, emphasized the importance of broad participation. “It’s important that we all come out,irrespective of who we are,where we come from,whether we were born here or not,to denounce the attacks on people,” Camacho said.
UC Workers Strike Coincides
Also on May 1, thousands of University of california (UC) health care workers, researchers, and technicians staged a one-day strike at UC facilities statewide.
The University Professional and technical Workers (UPTE), the union representing these workers, said the strike was in response to the UC system’s freezing of contracts in March, which the union argues is worsening a staffing crisis.
UPTE has been in contract negotiations with the university and previously organized a three-day statewide strike in February.
A Look at May Day History
The origins of May Day, or International Workers’ Day, trace back more than a century to a period of notable labor unrest in the United States.
While most May Day demonstrations are peaceful,clashes with law enforcement have occurred historically.
Although labor and immigration issues are historically linked, immigration became a central focus of May Day demonstrations in the U.S. in 2006. Approximately 1 million people, including nearly 500,000 in Chicago alone, protested against proposed federal legislation that would have made it a felony to reside in the U.S. without legal authorization.
Global Celebrations
In several countries, including France, Kenya, Russia, and China, May 1 is a public holiday for workers. In China, the holiday extends for five days.
May Day is also a traditional spring festival celebrated in various ways beyond marches and civil disobedience.
In Hawaii, May 1 is known as Lei day, a state festivity of Hawaiian culture and the Aloha spirit marked by the creation and giving of leis (flower necklaces). While not an official holiday, it is widely celebrated.
In other communities, people observe may Day by leaving baskets filled with gifts and flowers at the doorsteps of friends. Annapolis, Md., holds an annual May day basket contest, where residents and businesses compete to create the best floral arrangements.
City news Service contributed to this report.
May Day in Southern California: Your Top Questions Answered
Q: What happened in Southern California on May Day?
A: Thousands of union members and immigrant rights advocates marched through the streets of Southern California on Thursday, May 1st, commemorating International Workers’ Day, also known as May Day.
Q: Where did the May Day marches take place?
A: the main presentation began at 9 a.m. in downtown Los Angeles, specifically at the intersection of Olympic Boulevard and Figueroa street. Demonstrators marched east on Olympic Boulevard and then north on Los Angeles Street, heading toward the Metropolitan Detention Center. A separate march and demonstration were scheduled for later in the day in Boyle Heights.
Q: What were the main goals of the may Day marches?
A: The marches aimed to express solidarity with immigrant communities and to protest policies affecting immigrants and the working class.
Q: How many people participated in the downtown Los Angeles march?
A: pedro Trujillo, a lead organizer with the May Day Coalition of Los Angeles, estimated that between 4,000 and 5,000 people joined the march.
Q: Did any other events coincide with the May Day marches?
A: Yes, a large protest by thousands of Los Angeles County workers, represented by SEIU Local 721, occurred two days before the May Day marches. That strike began Monday night and concluded Wednesday night. Additionally, thousands of University of California (UC) health care workers, researchers, and technicians staged a one-day strike at UC facilities statewide on may 1st.
Q: What sparked the UC workers’ strike?
A: The University Professional and Technical Workers (UPTE), the union representing UC workers, stated that the strike was in response to the UC system’s freezing of contracts in March, which the union argues is worsening a staffing crisis.
Q: What is the past meaning of May Day/International Workers’ Day?
A: May Day, or International Workers’ Day, has its origins in significant labor unrest in the United States more than a century ago.
Q: What are the different ways May Day is celebrated globally?
A: May Day is a public holiday for workers in several countries, including France, Kenya, Russia, and China (where the holiday extends for five days). Beyond marches and civil disobedience, it’s also a traditional spring festival. In Hawaii,May 1 is known as Lei Day,marked by the creation and giving of leis. In other communities, people leave baskets of gifts and flowers at friends’ doorsteps, such as the annual May day basket contest in Annapolis, Md.
Q: How did immigration become a central focus of May Day demonstrations in the U.S.?
A: Immigration became a central focus in 2006 when approximately 1 million people, including nearly 500,000 in Chicago, protested proposed federal legislation that would have made it a felony to reside in the U.S. without legal authorization.
Q: Who contributed to the reporting on this May Day event?
A: City News Service contributed to this report.